Improvement in elastic pads for corsets



B.BERNSTEIN.

Elastic-Pads fQrCorsets.

No. 130,182', Patented Aug.l 6,1872..

nvmtnr:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN BERNSTEIN," OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT I'N ELASTIC PADS FOR CORSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,182, dated August6, 1872.

Specification describing a new and useful Improvement in AdjustableElastic Pad for Corsets,.invented by BENJAMIN BEENsTErN, of the city,county, and State ,of New York.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure lis a front view of my improvedspring-pad shown as applied to a corset, part of the outer cov'- eringof the corset being broken away. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the spring,partly in section, through the line so a', Fig. l, looking in thedirection of arrow l. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sectional views taken,respectively, through the lines y y and e e', Fig. l, looking in thedlrection of arrow 3. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section of the same takenthrough the line o o, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of arrow 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved adjustablespring-pad for ladies7 corsets or other articles of dress which shall beso constructed and arranged that it may be readily expanded andcontracted, as may be required, and which shall, at the same time, belight, strong, and durable; and it consists in the construction andcombination of the various parts, as hereinafter more fully described.

A is a light at wire, so flexible that it will readily adjust itself tothe form and motions of the wearer, and so elastic that 'it willalwaysrecover its form as soon as the pressure is removed. To the upperend of the at wire A is rigidly riveted a similar cross-wire, B, asshown in Figs. l and 2. To the wire B, at

' its point of intersection with the wire A, and

to it, toward its ends, are attached the upper ends of three or moresimilar flat wires, C, Which are curved over and downward, and theirother ends meet at an angle and are attached to the middle part of aclasp, D, the

. ends of which are bent inward to clasp the edges of the flat wire A,as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, and slide up and down upon it. The end ofthe central wire C projects below the clasp D, as shown in Figs. l and2, and to its lower end is attached a pin, E, the inner end of whichenters a hole in the ilat wire A, so as to hold the wires C securely inplace when adjusted. The form taken by the wire A when attached to thewearer holds the pin E securely in place without other fastening.Several holes are formed in the flat wire A to receive the pin E, sothat the wires C may be adjusted as desired.

By this construction, by moving the pin E upward the curve of the wiresC will be increased or the pad will be expanded; and by moving the pin Edownward, the curve of the wires C will be diminished or the pad will becontracted. The pin E passes out through a slit in the outer covering ofthe corset, and through a slot in a small metallic plate, F, attached tothe outer covering of the corset, and to the edges of which the saidcovering is sewcd, to prevent said covering from `being weakened by thesaidslit. The upper end of the slot in the plate F should be enlarged,as shown in Fig. 1, so that the plate may be readily passed over thehead of the said pin E.

The device is designed to be inserted in a corset between its inner andouter covering, and the wires A B are secured to one or both saidcoverings by sewing, by fastening similar to hoop-skirt fastenings, orin any other convenient and reliable manner.

The spring-pad has been described as being worn with a corset; but itmay be used in connection with other articles of dress when corsets arenot worn. In case a thin dress is to be worn, which would allow thewires G to show through it, a cushion, G, may be used over the flatwires O. The cushion G is formed by quilting three or more strips of atwire or thin pieces of whale-bone into and between two or morethicknesses of cloth, as shown in Fig. 6. The cushion G is placed overthe lat wires C, with its stifening-strips running across the said wiresG, so that the form ofthe said wires C cannot show through the dress.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-v 1. The combination of the elastic at wires A B C,sliding clasp D, and adjusting-pin E with each other, substantially asherein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2.'The combination of the slotted plate F with the adjusting-pin E ofthe spring-pad A B C D, substantially' as herein shown and described,and for the purpose set forth.

BENJAMIN BERNSTEIN.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. GRAHAM,

T. B. MosHER.

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